Enjoy your unlimited data plans while you can, Verizon users, as it looks like the carrier may be killing them off in favor of tiered data plans when mid-summer 2011 comes rolling through. Soon, users will have the option to choose between different data plans to suit their needs, especially if those needs include 4G LTE access.

The Verizon iPhone 4 currently comes with an unlimited data plan option, but according to Big Red’s Communications CFO Fran Shammo, that may not last much longer.

We will move to tiered pricing in the mid-summer time frame.

Following in the steps of AT&T, tiered pricing plans can be a good thing for the user if they do not use their carrier’s network for data all that often, but it can also go the other way as well. If you go over your allowed data, the tiered data plans will charge you overage fees, and depending on how much you go over, it can be a lot of extra money. Still, our WiFi-filled world certainly may soften the blow when you have less data to work with.

We’re wondering if the tiered data plans for Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network will remain the same price as 3G plans, but it’s definitely a possibility. Motorola Xoom users will not have to fork out more money after their tablet is upgraded, and hopefully that translates to their upcoming tiered LTE plans as well. Actual prices have yet to be announced, but we can imagine the country’s largest carrier will be pricing them competitively. Verizon could even charge $10 extra bucks for their new plans, as Sprint did for access to their 4G network.

So what do you think about Verizon going the tiered data plan route? Does it even matter to you as long as you get the internet on your device somehow?

Much like the AT&T move to tiered data plans, I’m surprised this didn’t happen sooner. If you currently have an unlimited plan, you should be able to keep it, just like with AT&T.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again – you have choices when you purchase a cell phone – make sure you know what your choices are before making a decision you’ll regret in six months (or less). As the article mentions, we’re moving toward a wired world – WiFi is everywhere, you just have to give up the fantasy that it should be free.

Anonymous

I’m sorry but that statement is idiotic. Paying 30 dollars a month for data is enough. When the new tiered pricing structure is announced at 49 bucks a month with 5 gigs of data, I hope you are one of the first ones to be made an example of with your first 100 dollar data overage fee.

Anonymous

I don’t understand. If tiered pricing will be implemented during the Summer then how is the Thunderbolt going to “give you a flavor of what our tiered pricing structure will be.”?

Anonymous

Me, I just wish all the games would end. Sell phones for what they cost (and sure, offer installment plans), sell minutes and megabytes for what they cost (instead of trying to tie us to specific-limit plans or even unlimited plans).

Right now we pay a arbitrary amount for the device, and a mysterious sum for our plan, that sort of covers the cost of the device over the first 2 years, but if you keep your device 4 years instead of two you’ll pay twice for the same device, and you either pay for more minutes or data than you need, or pay through the nose for accidentally using more that you expected, etc. T-Mob halfheartedly tried to fix the subsidy insanity with the Even More Plus plans, but that’s going nowhere fast.

Unfortunately consumers are easily fooled – “hey, look – a free smartphone!” – so there is little incentive for providers to move to a more rational system, since they stand to benefit from playing a 24/7 shell game with us.

Anonymous

You know what this means for me? After my time with the droid x is over, I will be going back to a regular cell phone. There is no way I’m going to get stuck with a bunch of high priced data overage fees.

Anonymous

You know what this means for me? After my time with the droid x is over, I will be going back to a regular cell phone. There is no way I’m going to get stuck with a bunch of high priced data overage fees.

Searcher5

I’ve been with Verizon for 9 years, but if they do this, I’ll either drop to a very simple phone, or even go to another carrier. This is bullshit marketing and pricing. A bunch of us at Freescale think the same thing, so they may lose more than they gain.

annoyed and angry

THis is going to cost verizon a lot of customers. I know I am only with them because of their unlimited data plan being pretty cheap for how good it is. I use email and internet all day on my phone and if they are going to start charging me more for this, I will switch users.

Happyjoni

I want a smartphone just so that I connect to my wifi at home.. I have no interest in any dataplan what-so-ever. Right now there is only 1 option – pay $29.99 a month for a feature that I have no intention of using. I think it’s BULL! Customers should be able to chose whatever phone they want and decide what features they want to pay for.. not force us into paying for data usage just to have the phone of our choice..

Jorell Dye

Hello Verizon.

Danaee Molina

I Dont like how they give you and option of just one data plan which costs a fortune! either thirty bucks or forty! im not paying that much for just wanting a phone of my choice!! on top of that! Verizon all their phones are smartphones their are barely any phones that dont require data plans… i think about five which are flip and no one is using those now a days! so why would they do this?! Why not have various data plans for people who cant afford 40 dollar plans or 30 dollar plans. why not have a 10 dollar plan 15 dollar plan! even twenty or whatever..! the deal is that they should have choices not everyone cant afford all that.

Jorell Dye

First two comments posted by Verizon? I think so.

Ejbrandy7376

before you go on a tirade about verizon not having any phones that do not require a data package, maybe you should do your homework a little better. Verizon has more than 5 phone that are not smart phones. I know this because I am a verizon customer who thinks that smart phones reallhy aren’t that smart at all.

Poop.

The Cosmos touch and cruz are the best feature phones they have as of late; the crux is a flimsy phone that will break in the first few months and the cosmos touch is a featureless phone that is not worth buying. I have an enV touch and it was a part of an age where Verizon actually had good feature phones for those who do not want data; then came the age of the “3G multimedia phones” which was a crock; they even made some of the flip phones, namely the LG VX8360, require a data plan. WHY?!?!?!?!? I am ashamed of Verizon and their move to data only phones; what has this world come to? SAd day.

Tbermudez5

If they do this, Im switching carrier. Period.

Seng215

II’m going back to flip phone

Ebg2628

This is absolutely HORRIBLE! I have an iPhone 4 and I have the unlimited data plan. I have a feeling this will increase my bill. Unlimited is a safe pick because you dint have to keep track of your data use-now EVERYONE is going to have to watch everything they do with their smart phones. It’s limiting the consumer who is ultimately the one paying for the services they receive. Why limit us to what we can do by tightening our financial belts?